Jewish
Deaf Tidbits |
The National Congress of Jewish Deaf (NCJD) is welcoming entries from Jewish Deaf students in 9th to 12th grade on the theme 'What Judaism Means to Me'. English is not important, only the idea of the message. This Youth Essay Award Competition is in honor of Anna & Henry Plapinger, and the prize is $100 cash, and deadline is May 31st. Send entries to Sharon Ann Soudakoff, NCJD at 1717 Bagley Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90035 or fax to 310/202-0035.
INTERPRETED KIBBUTZ TOUR
Our Way - National Conference of Synagogue Youth is offering a
month-long trip to Israel. This interpreted group tour, July 8 to August 11th will be to
Kibbutz Migdal Oz near Efrat. Participants will experience working on a Kibbutz, tour the
Holy and famous sights of Israel, meet deaf Israelis and learn Israeli Sign Language. Cost
of this tour is approximately $3,700. For more information, contact Emily Witty at
212/447-1294 TDD.
NEW CAMP FOR FAMILIES WITH DEAF CHILDREN
Camp Ramah in the Poconos, New York has started a five-day program
for families with deaf or hard of hearing members available to Jewish families throughout
the country and Canada. Interpreters in sign and oral will be provided along with
professional Jewish educators, and programming includes art, swimming, sports and nature.
This year's camp will take place beginning June 30th. Applications are due May 1st, and
scholarships are available. Contact Marcia Tilchin at 212/280-5930 TDD/V.
JEWISH DEAF GROUP FOR RIT/NTID STUDENTS
The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Hillel has started the
Louis S. & Molly B. Wolk Center for Jewish Cultural Enrichment of the Deaf to provide
cultural, educational and social services to Jewish Deaf students at RIT/NTID. They also
have a web page, http://infoshop.com/wolkcenter. Penni Moss is the program director.
LOOKING FOR FRIENDS IN LOS ANGELES
Rachel Mizrahie, deaf with cerebral palsy, and 55 years old. She
wants a female deaf who knows sign language and has a car and willing to take her to
restaurants and places if she needs to go. Please call 213/933-2320 Voice or write to her
at 6130 Warner St., Los Angeles, CA 90048.
NEW JEWISH DEAF LIST ONLINE
There is a new list for Jewish deaf people. The purpose of the
JEWISH-DEAF list is to discuss subjects which lie in the intersection of the world of
Judaism and the world of the deaf. To subscribe, send to LISTSERV@VM.BIU.AC.IL and send
the following command, SUBSCRIBE JEWISH-DEAF <your name>. They also have WWW (World
Wide Web) home page at http://www.weizmann.ac.il/~xlacha1/
ACTIVE SEPHARDIC RABBI DIES AT 106
Rabbi Albert J. Amateau, who died at his home in Santa Rosa, CA on
February 9th, had a most impressive track record. Along with his involvement as a social
worker, rabbi, lawyer, federal official and businessman, he was formerly executive
director of the Society for the Welfare of the Jewish Deaf, now known as the New York
Society for the Deaf, and led a congregation there for Jewish Deaf. He is a native of
Turkey.
TELEVISION SHOW
Alan 'SPO' Schwartz appeared on "High Incident" on
April 1st as a deaf brother with Jennifer (Red Jenn) Delora (non-Jewish) as a deaf sister.
The episode was called, "Women and children First." The producers was Ralph
Winter with Steve Spielberg's Dreamwork's Company!
CAPTIONED TORAH SERVICE VIDEOTAPE
The Federation of Jewish Men's Club has produced a videotape
on, "A Guide to the Shabbat Morning Torah Service." There is a version that has
a teaching tool accessible to the hearing impaired. It provides captions and descriptions
throughout, including glossary. The captioned version video is available for sale at
$25.75 through the Federation of Jewish Men's Club. They can be reached at 212/749-8100
Voice.
JEWISH DEAF SINGLES REGISTRY
Rabbi E. Lederfeind reports that the Jewish Deaf Singles
Registry at NCSY currently has about 100 secular, reform, conservative and Orthodox Jewish
Deaf members. "It is with thanks to G-D that we have already helped make three more
Jewish marriages within the deaf community," he says. Membership is five dollars each
September, and persons who were previously married are not eligible. For information,
contact Rabbi Lederfeind at Our Way-NCSY, 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001-5072.
JEWISH DEAF YOUNG ADULT GROUP
Manhattan's Young Adult Jewish Deaf has been formed by
co-founders Marla Berkowitz and Naomi Brunn. MYAJD pronounced 'miyad' in Hebrew, which
means NOW. MYAJD is now two years old. They currently have over 100 adult members. For
more information, contact Marla at c/o New York Society for the Deaf, 817 Broadway, New
York, NY 10003.